Possible to recover a zero lengthed file?

[Gregory D. MELLOTT]

Hi,
My Windows OS [and likely the HD] is going down and Windows no longer calls up and finds filenames properly. When running my program in a batch file it zero lengthed the file that is was to open [as it did not find it]. This is a normal for BASIC behavior for non-existing files, if you happen to not remember at this moment. Is there a way to recover the file by resizing it or the likes? Is there a utility that can read the HD and read areas such as that dropped. There are six identical files to work with if they can be 'seen' and recovered by something.

Sincerely,

Gregory D. MELLOTT

[Laurence Jackson]

I have used Quetek's File Scavenger with good results. It's $49 with a limited demo available to check whether it is likely to work before you buy.

http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm

When you want to recover data from a corrupt hard disk, it is important that you don't try to continue using the disk. Ideally, remove the disk from the original PC and install it as a slave in another PC for recovery.

[Michael Mattias]

When running my program in a batch file it zero lengthed the file that is was to open [as it did not find it]. This is a normal for BASIC behavior for non-existing files, if you happen to not remember at this moment.

I do remember at this moment, except I remember 'normal ..BASIC behavior' a bit differently.

If you are willy-nilly OPENing the file for APPEND, RANDOM or BINARY, it's true the file will be created at length zero if not found, but not true if you OPEN for INPUT.

Or, you can always test for existence via DIR$ before issuing the OPEN.

If "don't create new if not found" is important to your application, it's your responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen.

MCM